Assembling Together

“…they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” Acts 2:41

Jesus saved people with the intention of them being a church – a group of people who have faith in Him, are redeemed by His blood, and are determined to submit to Him in obedience.

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it”  Matthew 16:18

That Jesus saved His people with the intention that they assemble and work together locally is seen in that the early Christians found each other and assembled together to work and worship.

Much of the New Testament is letters written to local churches that were scattered around the ancient world. The members of these churches benefitted from the wise guidance of elders, the studied teaching of evangelists, the service of deacons, mutual participation in worship, sharing the bread and fruit of the vine in memory of Jesus, collecting their money to do good works in charity to needy Christians and the support of the preaching of the gospel. Although assembling with other Christians can have its challenges, it was seen as a blessing and a way to “stir up love and good works” (He 10:24-25).

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good work, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” Hebrews 10:24-25

Do I have to assemble? First, we have to answer, “Do I want to assemble?” People of faith want to be around people of faith. They want to strengthen their own faith and that of others. They want to join hands with other servants of God to worship and serve. It is the will of God that we assemble with faithful Christians to worship Him in truth, so that tells us what we should want to do more than what we have to do.

What if I can’t assemble? God doesn’t demand the impossible (2 Co 8:12). There are people where health or logistics literally make it impossible to assemble with other Christians. God and His people understand that. I will add that things like live streams, while helpful, encouraging, and edifying are not assembling or a replacement for assembling. I say this for those who are able to assemble, but for convenience sake think a live stream is an adequate substitute for assembling. A live stream is one directional and not “one another” like an assembly. For this reason, it can only be a way of encouraging and teaching those who can’t assemble and not a replacement or substitute for assembling.  dd